Sludge in Ford Explorer 4.0 SOHC

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Russell
Originally Posted By: Russell
my 98 explorer with the 4.0 sohc had the same valve guide problem. Had an indy fix it. Seems fine except for a cold start rattle till warm, then ok. Never that much sludge as we changed the oil every 3-5,000 miles. In fact we changed the ol/filter every 1000 miles for three changes after the fix to help ensure plactic parts are out.


Need to add. The independent shop charged me about $1,500 for the repair which included all chains, all guides removal of the engine etc. They gave me the old parts and allowed me to check on repair and take photos which essentially looked about the same as the examples shown.


One more comment perhaps off topic. This problem was as bad as my 1990 fully loaded Plymouth Grand Voyager mini-van that went through 4 tranys before I sold it at 130,000 miles. Chrysler Corp.paid for all of them except the last trany and it was 50/50.

 

[law3500]

That is one of the reasons that alot of BITOG members don't think of when they complain that Shops are still recommending 3000 mile oil changes, at my current shop we did a data base anaylsys when planning new advertising and one of the things we looked at was the average OCI for our regular customers and it worked out to around 7700 miles even though we were recommending 3k changes. So alot of shops/mechanics assume that if we told customers that 6-7k was ok they would push it out to 12-13k and end up with engines that look like the explorer from the OP.

 

[Rand]

The ranger from 2001-current has the 4.0sohc

the exploder from 1997?1998? to current

they started with a 4pc tensioner? and went to a 8point system?

I dont remember very well. I do know unless you really complained they would only change the front one.

as these engines have one chain on the front of engine for the one bank

and the other bank chain is on the rear of engine.

so they would try to weasel out of doing it right by doing only the front chain and not removing engine.

 

[addyguy]

Originally Posted By: law3500
That is one of the reasons that alot of BITOG members don't think of when they complain that Shops are still recommending 3000 mile oil changes, at my current shop we did a data base anaylsys when planning new advertising and one of the things we looked at was the average OCI for our regular customers and it worked out to around 7700 miles even though we were recommending 3k changes. So alot of shops/mechanics assume that if we told customers that 6-7k was ok they would push it out to 12-13k and end up with engines that look like the explorer from the OP.


That's a very good point - recommend 3k OC's, on the knowledge that you will maybe see them at the 6-7k mark.

I know when I worked in a WM TLE in 2007, there were two customers - those that came in at 3k on the nose, and engine was spotless; and those that came at 'who knows what' mileage, and the engine is ticking, and no oil showing on the d/s.

 

[rewote500]

This motor has been Quaker caked......

 

[Kuato]

Bluestream, that is one gunked up motor! Might be a great candidate for Auto-RX.

How's it doing now?

 

[stranger706]

This is why I will not buy used.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Looked pretty clean but sad that the owner didnt pay any attention to the oil light.


I don't know what's worse- believing that the light on the dash is an oil level indicator, or ignoring it when it comes on.

 

[pavelow]

Engines that are known sludgers should run synthetic and change it out every 5K max, probably every 3K wouldn't hurt. A buddy of mine does this with his known to be a sludger 318/5.2 powered Durango and it is running just fine.

 

[labman]

So how do we identify the sludgers? Does CR publish a list? If consumers had good info, woudl they be quickly driver off the market.

 

[pavelow]

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